We get double the Maisie Williams this year! In addition to new intrigues (and familiar Needle stabbing) as Arya Stark on the upcoming fifth season of Game of Thrones, Williams will also be guest starring on Doctor Who. The BBC tweeted the news over the weekend, including this great photo of Williams posing in the TARDIS.
In a press release, Williams said,
I’m so excited to be working on Doctor Who as it’s such a big and important part of British culture. I can’t wait to meet the cast and crew and start filming, especially as we’ll be shooting not too far from my home town.
Showrunner Steven Moffat would only tease a little bit of Williams’ role, especially as relates to Peter Capaldi’s Doctor:
We’re thrilled to have Maisie Williams joining us on Doctor Who. It’s not possible to say too much about who or what she’s playing, but she is going to challenge the Doctor in very unexpected ways. This time he might just be out of his depth, and we know Maisie is going to give him exactly the right sort of hell.
The press release included mention of two new episode titles for period adventures: “The Girl Who Died” (written by Jamie Matheson and Moffat) and “The Woman Who Lived” (written by Catherine Tregenna, the show’s first female writer in six years). Maybe Williams will appear in one or both of these? We’ll have our answer when Doctor Who returns this fall.
Good news for Doctor Who fans; she is a very talented young actress, I look forward to seeing her.
Those episode titles are somehow reassuringly self-aware. As Moffatt continues to publicly work out his gender issues over time through the show, sometimes by trial and error, it’s actually encouraging to see the learning process lampshaded so unself-consciously. Handing over the “The Girl Who…” convention to a woman writer helps me feel like Moffatt (as well as the “Girl” in his naming convention) is growing up.
Let the crazy fanservice rumors begin!
A regeneration of Susan Foreman/Jenny The Doctor’s Daughter?
Arya Stark as a Companion? I’m in.
Awesome! I can’t wait for Series 9.
I love Maisie! And Dr Who! This has potential. I can hardly wait.
The tease makes it sound more as if she’s playing a villain/antagonist rather than a companion (or family member). Which makes me wonder about the Rani, or perhaps the Valeyard.
Wait moffet has woman issues … ??? I’m sorry but that just comes off as terribly ridiculous.
@8: He’s publicly acknowledged his mistreatment of some of the women in Doctor Who (notably Clara), so it’s not really so ridiculous. The man himself admits as much. Several episodes from last season were pretty obvious apologies for his missteps in the past, too. The Doctor’s line to Clara about mistaking the nature of their relationship (“I didn’t say it was your mistake”) stands out in particular.
For various vague reasons I haven’t gotten into the (now past ;) ) new season, but this looks intriguing. Perhaps a sort of junior Lady DeSouza from the bus in the desert episode? Somehow just reminds me of her.
@3, Peter D. <sigh> yeah, Jenny (and Susan for that matter, from what the actress commented) got cut too quickly, I’d love to see them back